Facing the No. 1 ranked 3A team in the state, the Topsail softball team used a three-run rally in the top of the seventh to pull off a 9-7 comeback win at C.B. Aycock on Tuesday night.
“It was a total team effort tonight,” said Topsail Coach Jay Abston. “We had timely hitting, played small ball when we needed to and used great defense.”
The bottom third of the order went a combined 8-for-12 at the plate. Hayley Grizzle tied the game at seven with an RBI single in the five hole to set the stage for Kyla Boyles, who finished with two hits, three runs batted in and one run scored.
“They are a great team, but we were just a little better tonight,” Abston added. “We talked last week about having a strong lineup from top to bottom and tonight our eight hitter, Kyla Boyles, produced for us in a big way.”
The Pirates carried a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the sixth when the Golden Falcons scored four runs in the frame to regain the advantage.
Grizzle finished with two hits, while Alyssa Randall went 1-for-2, with two RBIs, one run and a pair of walks. Hunter Bizzell also scored twice as the leadoff hitter.
C.B. Aycock went up 2-0 after one full inning of play, but Topsail responded with five runs in the second. A solo home run by Allison Shingleton pulled the Golden Falcons to within two before a successful squeeze play gave the Pirates a 6-3 cushion after five.
Victoria Elder went the distance for Topsail, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, with two walks and five strikeouts.
No. 3 Topsail will host top-seeded C.B. Aycock in game two of the series at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Hampstead.
Box score R H E
Topsail 050 010 3 9 12 0
C.B. Aycock 200 104 0 7 11 1
2A softball: No. 3 Topsail (26-3) vs. No. 1 C.B. Aycock (27-2)
Game 1: Topsail 9 C.B. Aycock 7; Game 2: on Wednesday, May 25 at Topsail; Game 3 *if necessary, on Thursday, May 26 at C.B. Aycock
